‘Tis the Summer Survey Season

An evidence-driven organization requires a lot of data. Here are our upcoming surveys.

The Program Directory Questionnaire and Curriculum Survey

First things first ­­– we’re merging two of our important annual surveys. We realized that the previous Program Directory Questionnaire and Curriculum Survey: Prerequisites asked many of the same questions, so we’ve shortened and combined them. The newly merged survey is now called the Combined Program Directory Questionnaire and Curriculum Survey; it will be distributed to all program directors next week and is due Wednesday, May 30.

The Program Directory Questionnaire portion of the survey collects data that will be used to update programs’ PAEA Program Directory entry for the 2019 cycle of PA school applicants. Even though the directory questions are optional, the directory is a valuable one-stop shop for applicants, and we strongly encourage you to provide all the information requested in this questionnaire so your directory entry will be complete. Opting out means that only your program name and accreditation status will appear in the directory; all other information will be listed as “Information Not Reported.”

The Curriculum Survey: Prerequisites portion of the survey is required to be completed by Voting Members (see p. 68, 6.11.01 of the PAEA Policies and Procedures manual) and will collect valuable data about PA programs’ prerequisite coursework, academic entrance requirements, health care experience, applications, and admissions. Curriculum Survey-specific data are confidential and will not be used to populate your Program Directory entry.

Complete instructions will be included with the survey, please be sure to read them carefully.

The Annual PAEA Program Survey

Looking ahead, once the Program Directory Questionnaire and Curriculum Survey has closed, it will be nearly time for the Program Survey, which will open on Wednesday, June 27, and close on Wednesday, August 27. This is our longest running survey, collecting core information about program structure, program and student financial information, student and faculty characteristics, and much more.

Why Should I Complete These Surveys?

The data from both the Program Survey and the Curriculum Survey are used every day by programs to help make decisions about staffing, budgeting, curriculum development, and benchmarking program statistics — as well as by PA education researchers. While we’re at it, thank you to everyone who took the 2017 Faculty and Directors Survey, your data is the basis of Faculty and Directors Report 3 and will help PA faculty around the country. Everyone in PA education benefits from contributing, collecting, and reporting this data.

And if altruistic motives are not quite enough: If you complete both the Program Directory Questionnaire and Curriculum Survey AND the Annual PAEA Program Survey by their respective deadlines, your program will be entered into a drawing for one free 2018 Education Forum registration.

If you have any questions about the Program Directory Questionnaire and Curriculum Survey, please let us know. Institutional colleague members should contact Danielle Di Silvestro at directory@PAEAonline.org, while voting members should contact Nikki Frias at research@PAEAonline.org.

Donovan Lessard, MA

Donovan Lessard is PAEA's director of research programs and evaluation, overseeing the administration of national surveys for PA programs, students, and faculty, and the administration of research grants and research capacity building programs for PA faculty.

About PAEA®

The Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) is the only national organization representing PA educational programs. PAEA works to ensure quality PA education through the development and distribution of educational services and products specifically geared toward meeting the emerging needs of PA programs, the PA profession, and the health care industry.